1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to inhalers for the controlled inhalation of medication by a patient by self-activation. More particularly, it is directed to an inhaler which receives inhalation canisters for manual release of pressurized medication in spray form into the mouth and the inhaler is adapted to include counting and timing capabilities to enhance proper self-administration of doses by patient.
2. Prior Art Statement
The use of inhalers is well known and the art has developed over the past twenty years to cover many versions of the basic concept of a "pumping" type medication applicator. The device is not truly pumped although a pumping like cycle is utilized. The medication is repeatedly released from a disposable canister, e.g. by depressions by the patient to create repeated sprays or inhalations as needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,361,306 to W. M. Grim illustrates a typical inhaler where a canister of medication is inserted into the back end of a device and the spray nozzle of the canister sits in a spray-directing member to shoot spray out of the front (mouth) end of the device when the canister is pressed down by a user.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,183,907 describes an inhaler in which a button on its underside is pushed by the user to release a controlled or metered amount of spray from a medication canister held in the top or back end of the inhaler.
U.S. Pat. No 4,817,822 to Paul Rand et al describes an inhaler device which includes counting means for indicating the relative emptiness of a container or the number of doses dispensed. However, this inhaler counting mechanism is attached to the medicine container as well as the inhaler, such as by a retaining ring or retaining cap and is preferably not removed from the container.
Notwithstanding the prior art, the use of counters for an exact count of sprays per application, e.g. five sprays or six sprays each time the device is used, is not taught nor rendered obvious by the prior art, nor is the use of a timer to enable the user to control the elapsed time, e.g. 60 seconds, between each spray of a multispray application, as in the present invention.